


Fire on Fire

by Anonymous



Category: Seduce Me (Visual Novel)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angels, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood, Canon-Typical Violence, Demons, Devils, Dreams, Dreams and Nightmares, Dubious Consent, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Explicit Consent, F/M, Fire, Flashbacks, Gen, Getting to Know Each Other, Gun Violence, Healing, Kissing, Living Together, Magic, Multi, Multiple Endings, Multiple Pairings, Mutual Pining, Nudity, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Multiple, Platonic Relationships, Prophetic Dreams, Reader-Insert, Romance, Self-Indulgent, Sex Talk, Showers, Slow Burn, Succubi & Incubi, Swearing, background OCs - Freeform, romantic relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-01-23 05:36:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18543361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: It's been three years since you moved to the little island town of Bayard. You went to school, came home, and that was about it. For as long as you could remember, you were all alone.One stormy night, however, everything changed. Five strangers came to your home, wounded and with nowhere else to go.Written by M. Pride.





	1. Storm and Fire

_The gentle sound of the ocean sang through the air as you stared out toward the horizon. The warmth that had burned into the sand was all that was keeping you from getting goose bumps from the ebb and flow of foam and salt across your feet. You took a deep breath, absorbing the atmosphere. Your white beach shirt billowed gently against the breeze._

_You'd been dreaming of this day for a long time. And now it had finally come. As you basked in the light, you couldn't help but let out a laugh._

_You finally felt at home._

**_"(Y/n)!"_ **

_The world froze in time. The call of the gulls danced in your ears. Your skin tingled as you slowly turned around. You saw them there, standing there with a brilliant light shining behind them. Prismatic gleams danced along the ground between you and them. They called your name again. They were waving to you, smiling for you. Though you couldn't see their faces, you knew they were there for you._

_They were there._

_Waiting for you._

_Your boys._

_"Hurry up, doofus! We can't wait forever, ya know!"_

_"The day's almost over!"_

_"We can come back again soon!"_

_"Come on, (Y/n)!"_

_"Let's go home!"_

_You smiled, laughing as you ran toward them in excitement. You threw your arms open, ready to be caught. The sun and moon glowed overhead. Laughter. Joyous laughter and love._

_It was all waiting for you._

_A pair of strong arms wrapped around you, pulling you close as the smell of flowers mingled with the salt on your tongue. Soon another pair joined them. And another. All of them held you, laughing as you all nearly fell back from the force of the hug._

_"I'm ready now. Let's go home."_

 

* * *

 

 

Freshly falling leaves scattered across the road as the car made it was down the graveled road. You watched as the world passed you by quickly. Trees bathed in fiery golds and reds that seem to blaze in the fading light of the afternoon. The air was filled with the smell of fresh rain, sea salt, and evergreens.

When your great-grandmother had passed away, she had left you everything. A vast fortune which you inherited upon your twenty first birthday, a key that to a chest that you kept in your room, and the most impressive of all, a fine house with hidden passages, an observatory to look out at the stars at night, and the largest library you'd ever seen. The house was on a property surrounded by fruit trees leading to the gates and stoned walls that closed it off to the outside world. Surrounding that was the local forests native to the Pacific Northwest.

It'd been three years since you'd arrived in this small island town. But you barely ever left the estate grounds other than to go to class at the local college. No one in town knew your name outside of there. No one knew of your family either it seemed. As far as Bayard was concerned, you were nothing but a ghost.

You were an enigma. A phantom. A small speck of dust in the most unassuming corner of the world. And you wanted to keep it that way.

Not forever, though. Certainly not forever. But at least for now, that's how you liked it for the most part.

As you pulled up to the house and pulled into the garage, you couldn't help but sigh. Loneliness seemed to drip off every edge of the place. It didn't help that the sun was being covered by oncoming clouds. The weather report called for a thunderstorm later in the night. You let out a sigh and got out of the car, carrying in the groceries you had gotten after French class.

The night passed by rather quickly as you made yourself some dinner. A simple pasta dish that made you write a note to yourself to learn more recipes. There was only so many times you could alternate between microwave dinners and pastas. You decided to pull out one of the salads you'd prepped earlier as well. At the very least, you had to get one vegetable into you before you dove head first into that meat sauce.

The rain began to fall as you sat to eat, pulling out one of your history textbook and beginning your homework for the evening. After the last test you didn't want to chance missing any assignments.

 _This sucks,_ you thought. _Homework tonight and tomorrow, and then this weekend I have to give the whole house a top to bottom clean up. Gotta finish prepping for winter._

Winter. You groaned, closing your book. You really hated winter lately. Luckily you didn't have classes that season, so you didn't have to worry about the ice keeping you from getting there. No, it was just going into town. Why did it take ten minutes just to get from the garage to the outside gate? And then another thirty at least to get to the nearest grocery store. You'd considered just getting the groceries delivered, but decided against it. You didn't want people talking about you. You liked your solitude.

And yet, you wanted some company.

_Maybe after the new year. Yeah, I'll try to make new friends after the new year. Or maybe get a pet. Oh, and maybe I'll hire some staff to come out and clean too. Hell, maybe even a cook. I can afford it now. One or two staff to help with this big house wouldn't be that bad an idea, right?_

You finished your dinner, cleaned up, and headed to the library to work on your homework, hoping the weather didn't knock out the power before you were done. You've tried navigating this house in the dark before. It was enough of a maze in the daytime that getting caught in the dark would drive you mad. And that honor belonged to finals week at the start of next month.

You made a note in your planner to figure out the winter situation later.

 

* * *

 

 

**_"_ _GET BACK HERE, COWARDS!"_ **

**_"Dammit. They found us. This way!"_ **

**_"I can't keep up! I-I'm-"_ **

**_"Don't you fucking slow down!"_ **

**_"Look! A wall!"_ **

**_"Dammit!"_ **

**_"Come on, up and over!"_ **

**_"I'm tired…"_ **

**_"Shit. Sam, grab him and jump!"_ **

**_"What makes you think I got the energy to do that?!"_ **

**_"JUST GRAB HIM AND JUMP!"_ **

**_"FINE! Grab and jump, alright?!"_ **

**_"I think I see a house down the path. Let's hurry and get inside."_ **

 

* * *

 

 

You had lost track of time working on your assignments that by the time you'd finished, it was already nearly midnight. Chances are you were probably going to be waking up late tomorrow. That wasn't too bad. You only had your French class tomorrow, and that didn't start until two. You had plenty of time.

The sound of the thunder outside concerned you though. It had grown closer with every hour that'd passed, and now it was a little too frequent. The lightning seemed far more threatening than normal as well. You chocked it up to it being close to Halloween. Creepy shit always happened around this time of year.

"Maybe I should go check the locks first," you whispered. "Make sure they won't burst open because of the wind-"

**_CRASH!_ **

"What the hell?!"

You hurried down the hall, following the sounds coming from downstairs. Silently, you cursed your great grandmother for owning such a giant house. You flew down the stairs, nearly tripping forward as the thunder and lightning clashed together and the light went out. Skidding to a halt, you saw the front door had been splintered into a thousand pieces. The windows were shattered, and several pieces of furniture had been torn to shreds. In the brief flashes of light, you could just make out five people on the ground, bleeding and leaning on each other as they tried to back away from the man standing in the entryway. His skin was a deep crimson hue, speckled about with gold at the tips of his pointed ears. His white hair seemed to be untouched by the rain.

"What's the matter, boys?" the figure laughed. "Not enough energy to fight back anymore?"

One of the boys on the floor stood up, his arm heavily bleeding from a gaping wound near the shoulder. His voice was low and threatening, strained from the pain he was suffering.

"Leave…my brothers…alone…"

The crimson figure gawked at him before bursting into laughter. "You? Out of all the little sacks of shit, you're the one left standing?" He smirked, pulling out a gun. "No problem. I don't mind taking you out first. Come have a go."

Without wasting a second you bolted forward, grabbing a large piece of broken table and chucking it at the figure in the doorway. It hit him right in the face, sending him stumbling backwards with a howl of pain. You could feel stares of shock from the boys burn into your back. The figure recovered, aiming his gun at you.

You definitely didn't think this through.

"And just who the fuck do you think you are?!"

"This is my house!" you bellowed, trying to stay calm. "Now get the hell out of here, or I swear-"

"Swear what?" the figure asked mockingly. "You'll chuck a chair at me next? Oh, I'm so scared."

You smirked. "The cops are on their way here, dumbass. You triggered the fucking security alarm. And I doubt you'll be able to wipe your image from the security cameras before they get here."

It was a lie. You had no such alarm in your house. You'd triple checked when you first moved in. But you couldn't let this guy know that. You played up the act, hoping that he wouldn't call your bluff.

"I'm giving you one chance," you said. "Leave. Now."

The figure stared at you, then looked to the boys. He shot them a glare. He was furious, but made no attempt to get closer. Instead, he backed away, his body glowing in the flash of the storm.

"You're lucky I'm not wanting to cause a scene tonight. Last thing I want is an investigation. But if I see you punks again, you're dead." He lowered his gun, turning back to you. "And that goes double for you, you piece of shit."

In another flash, he vanished.

Replaced by the scent of fire. Flames beginning to lick at the door frame. Your eyes went wide as you looked back to the boys. The one that had stood, a talk young man with glowing gold eyes , stared at you as he held his arm. He was covered head to toe in mud. All of them were. Muck, grime, and blood.

There was a lot of blood.

"We need to get you to a hospital," you said, hurrying to aid them. "The house is on fire, we gotta-"

_**"Come here."** _

You froze, your body growing relaxed and warm as a gentle hand caressed your face. The heat from the fire was growing. The world was slowly fading to black. Spinning violently. You tried to fight back, but soon another hand was holding your face. The one caked in blood.

"I'm sorry," the boy said, his voice distorted and echoing. "But I need to do this to save us. I promise, it's just a kiss."

He pressed his lips to yours and you felt your body going limp. You gripped onto his shirt as best you could, his arms wrapping around you as he deepened the kiss. You found your legs growing weaker, your heart beating rapidly as a gentle moan escaped you. When he finally pulled back, he was no longer bleeding.

"I'll take care of this."

He lay you down on the ground and stepped toward the fire. You watched him, despite the smoke and your own vision beginning to blur. He raised his hands, chanting something softly as his hands began to glow. The fire and lightning slowly started to fade. The voices of the others behind you grew quieter.

The last thing you saw before passing out, was a pair of horns growing on the boy's head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is mostly a self indulgent self insert story. I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Also, while the visuals of the reader will be left vague at best so that anyone can slip into the shoes of the main character, this story will have the reader referred to by she/her pronouns. While I wanted to make this story more inclusive, I found in the planning stages that it worked better if I settled on one set of pronouns while initially writing. If you would like, I can publish this story again but change it so that the reader character goes by he/him or they/them. Leave a comment and let me know if that's something you are interested in.
> 
> Update April 24: To clarify, this version of the story will remain posted. But if someone would like a different version of this story where the reader is addressed as he/him or they/them, then it'd be no trouble to make the edits and post those versions. Essentially there'd be multiples of the same story and you could choose how you'd like to be addressed as you read.


	2. Introducing Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mostly an info dump to get the reader up to speed and to get the plot rolling, but I did my best to make it interesting. Hope you like it!

**_"-power outages across the town seem to be starting to become less frequent as the day goes on. Authorities are asking people to please be cautious while being out this weekend. The Mayor's office has released a statement saying that this will not delay the Halloween Gala as rumored. Schools will be closed while trees are cleared and gas lines are inspected for leakage. This is K12.2fm, reporting-"_ **

**_"Gas leaks, fallen trees, closed schools. These are weak attempts at chaos at best."_ **

**_"Should we act now?"_ **

**_"No. Let's wait a little longer. I'm sure we'll be able to find the fiends soon enough. In the meantime, let's start preparing for that gala."_ **

 

* * *

 

 

It was nearly dawn by the time the power came back on in the house. The rain had finally let up, the fire was out, and the woman who had defended them from Malix was resting in her bed. At least, that was what they'd assumed. They weren't exactly sure if it was her bedroom. But it was clearly the master room, and the boys figured it was as good a place as any to tuck her in.

Sam let out an annoyed growl, dunking his hands back into the warm bucket of water and pulling out the scrub brush. "I can't believe after all that we have to clean up this fuckin' mess."

"Don't complain, Sam," Erik chided, doing his best to restore the curtains on the windows. "The lady of the house saved us from certain death. This is by far the least we can do to repay her bravery."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I just… ** _Gaaah._** " He scrubbed the floor roughly. "I hate this." He focused on the task at hand, doing his best to clean up the blood they'd all left on the tiled floors. His glare slowly softened with every brush, his emerald eyes burning from exhaustion. "How's James?"

Erik looked at him, his violet gaze wavering. "He still hasn't woken up yet. Matthew's been keeping a close eye on him all night. I think he feels guilty about what'd happened."

"He shouldn't. It wasn't his fault."

"Oh believe me, I know it isn't. But chances are he doesn't see it that way." He finished his work and then looked down at himself, letting out a sigh of disgust. "That gang of vermin really did do a number on us. Just look at our clothes."

_Is this jackass serious?_ Sam threw the scrub brush at his brother, just barely sending it through one of the broken windows and yelling furiously. "Clothes, Erik? James might be in a coma and we're still being hunted, and _you're concerned with our freakin' clothes?!"_

Erik tugged on the edges of his ruined red button up, gesturing to his pants and to Same. " _Look_ at them! You can see where we were injured through every rip and tear! Any one of these holes would have been a fatal blow, to _any_ of us!"

Sam went to argue, but held his tongue. Glancing at his own clothes, he noticed the rip in his pants near his Achilles tendon. The gash near his left kidney. The rip near his heart. He didn't want to admit it, but the stupid flirt had a point.

_We were so close to dead last night._

"Dammit…"

Erik managed a smile and went to grab a few more brushes. "How about we both clean up the floor? That way we can finish it faster and then get something to eat."

"I…I guess."

"Oh come now," he teased. "Give me a smile and I'll let you shower first."

"Pfft. Dork." Sam managed a brief, toothy grin. "Showers, then food. This house is huge, so there's bound to be more than one bath around."

"Sounds good."

The two finished their work and Sam proceeded to the nearest bathroom. He didn't even bother locking the door and tossed his clothes (or rather, rags) into the corner. He turned the water scalding and stepped in. The heat was instant relief, uncurling the knots and tightness that had taken hold of him. He closed his eyes and leaned against the wall, bracing himself with his hands and letting the torrents of water pound away.

This isn't good, Sam thought. There's no way we're gonna be able to leave here until James is able to move. And even then, where the hell are we gonna go? We can't go back East. And we sure as hell can't go back home. What're we gonna do?

He shook his head and reached for the soap. He needed to scrape away the leftover remnants of their Devil assailants from his skin.

**_Knock! Knock! Knock!_ **

"It's unlocked," he groaned. "Curtain's closed."

The door opened, and a light, high voice greeted him. "Hey Sam. I found some clothes in one of the rooms. These should be about your size."

"Thanks Matthew. Just set them on the counter."

"No problem…"

Sam paused, glancing at the silhouette on the other side of the curtain. "You okay, pipsqueak? Leg still hurting you?"

Matthew shook his head. "It's fine now. Damien took care of it."

"That's good…How's James?"

"He's okay, I think," Matthew said. "He actually woke up for a bit."

"No shit?" He tried not to show too much excitement at the news. "Why didn't you tell us sooner? Did he say anything or-?"

"He just asked for something to drink. Got him some water then went to find clean clothes. Gonna try and get him cleaned up in a bit."

"I'll help you when I'm done."

"Thanks Sam…"

Sam let out a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Listen runt, don't go having a pity party about getting injured, okay?"

Matthew glared at him from the other side, reaching a hand for the curtain. "I am not-"

"Take a good look at the damage our clothes suffered. Any of those holes could have been in us." He peaked his face from behind the curtain. "You actually did get a hole in your leg. James doesn't blame you for it happening, so don't blame yourself. Got it?"

Matthew let out a sigh, hanging his head dejectedly. "I know he doesn't blame me…it still sucks though…"

"Yeah, and it's gonna suck for a while." He reached out and ruffled Matthew's hair. "Just…stop getting all uppity about it. Okay? Take that energy and focus it elsewhere."

With a tender smile, Matthew managed a nod. "Okay, I'll try…you dumb brute."

Sam chuckled. "Alright, get the hell out of here, you little runt. I wanna finished getting cleaned already."

"Alright. I'll get what we need to clean James up then. Meet you in the room."

"Meet you there."

Matthew left the room and Sam returned to his shower. He hoped that they could get out of there soon.

He needed to pay Malix back for last night's game.

 

* * *

 

 

_Two years since you had moved into the estate, you now sat at the table, staring blankly at the letter in your hands. A large oval pendant lay in a leather case before you, a gaping hole in the shape of a heart meant for a gemstone dead center. Having just turned twenty-one, you were finally able to inherit everything your great-grandmother left you. When you made your claim to the fortune, you were also handed this._

_"To my dearest (y/n)," read the letter. "While you and I have not talked much, I feel confident that my worldly gifts would be safe within your hands. And now, you are of the age to receive them all. This pendant is the key to all that I leave you. Keep it close, and never leave home without it. Many secrets lay within this house, and many trials may come your way, but I know that you'll find the right path. Stay true to your heart, my dear. For that is your greatest power."_

_You set the letter down and picked up the pendant, slipping the chain around your neck. The pendant dangled just past your chest._

_You couldn't explain why, but if felt right at home on you._

_I won't lose it, great-grandmother. I promise._

 

* * *

 

 

When you awoke the next day, your entire body felt heavy. A thick fog seemed to be covering your mind as you attempted to remember the events of the previous night. It was all a blur. Nothing was in focus.

_Think (y/n). You got home, had dinner, did your homework. Then…That's right._

You remembered the man with the gun. The five boys (Brothers?) bleeding out in your foyer. The one that stood up and was still able to find some fight in him. The fire. The lightning.

You remembered the kiss.

With a jolt you sat up, the whiplash from your sudden movement sending the world into a spiral. A gentle pair of hands caught you as you nearly fell out of bed. The silence screamed, and you could have sworn you were this close to having your head explode.

"Nhgh…what-"

"Easy," said a soft voice. "Don't move so quickly. You lost a lot of energy last night."

You slowly blinked, trying to make the world stop spinning."Who are you?"

"I'm Damien. I've been watching over you since you passed out." He brushed the stray hair from your face, placing the tips of his fingers over your temple. "Here, this should help."

A wave of relief washed over you. As the pain went away, you managed to focus your gaze on the person holding you. He was sitting on the edge of one of the chairs, wearing a tan jacket, a red button up shirt, and white jeans. His hair was a bright ginger, and his eyes bluer than the ocean. He had a kind face, and a rather strong grip.

"Thank you," he said.

"Huh?"

"About the kind face thing…"

You stared at him, confused. "I didn't, uh-"

He removed his hand once all the pain had vanished. "I can read minds. You were thinking I had a kind face. And strong grip." He smiled awkwardly. "And now you're wondering 'what the hell? is this guy seriously a mind reader?' Did I catch that right?"

"Impressive." You smiled, deciding to give him a real test. "What am I thinking now? Say it out loud."

Damien rolled his eyes, singing softly. "'When I look in your eyes again. I get trapped within you again-'"

"Okay, I'm convinced. You're a mind reader." You smiled, glancing around the room to try and get your bearings. You were in your bed. That as a good start. You'd been put in your pajamas. Not as good. As your face began to burn from the question of who dressed you, you saw the clock on your nightstand.

**_4:02pm._ **

"Shit!" you gasped. "I missed-"

"You didn't miss any classes," Damien assured. "The school sent out a call saying it'd be closed for two weeks. The storm caused a tree to fall near the science labs and they need to do repairs and inspections to prevent gas leaking."

You let out a sigh of relief. "That's good…" You paused. "Wait..Why was I asleep for so long?"

Damien shifted in his seat, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked away. "My brothers and I were planning to explain at dinner but…given the circumstances, I should at least explain my part in it, miss-?"

"(Y/n)."

"(Y/n)." He nodded. "It's a nice name."

"Thanks. Now, what was this about you having a part in it?"

Damien bit his lower lip, keeping his head down in an attempt to hide his face. His ears were burning red. You felt a twinge in your heart, and without even thinking, you reached out and took his free hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. You weren't angry. You just wanted to know the truth.

"I know you want the truth," Damien said. "But I don't know if you'll believe me."

"You'll never know until you tell me."

He took a deep breath and looked you right in the eyes. His deep blue had been replaced by a hypnotic gold.

"My brothers and I aren't human, (y/n). We are incubi; demons who feed off the sexual energy of others in order to survive. And last night, I took your energy to restore my powers."

You felt your body grow cold. "You're a what? You did **_what?!"_**

"Please, let me explain," he begged, brow furrowed in worry. "My brothers and I are from a realm known as the Abyssal Plains. The man from your doorway, the one with the gun? He's a devil from one of the seven circles of Hell. His gang have been chasing us for the past month across the entire country. We were cornered and tried to hide in your house to escape. We were starving, wounded, one of us on the verge of death." His voice began to crack. "I panicked. I used my powers to take your energy. I didn't want to but…I didn't know what else to do…I'm so sorry."

You couldn't believe it. You couldn't believe any of it. Incubi? Demons? Devils? Those didn't exist. They couldn't.

But then you remembered Damien's eyes changing color. The crimson skinned figure vanishing. The horns on Damien's head.

It was impossible.

And yet…

"Okay," you said slowly. "I believe you. And I accept your apology. Given the situation, it was the only logical conclusion, I guess. High stress, high mortality rate, all that. Just…don't do it without asking next time?"

You didn't know what else you could say in this situation. It was way too surreal. But what else could you do? Call him a liar? There wasn't any scientific explanation for what happened last night. And he seemed genuinely earnest.

So you believed him.

"I won't do it again," he promised. "And thank you for trusting me."

"No problem." You let out a sigh. "God, this is way too freaky."

Damien smiled. "Can you stand?"

"Huh?"

"Erik and Matthew were making dinner. It should be ready soon, and you haven't eaten all day. I'm sure you're probably hungry."

You went to speak, only for your stomach to interrupt you. You were famished. And incredibly thirsty. You needed something, anything to satisfy your hunger. You nodded and went to stand, only to remember you were in your pj's.

_I can't go out of the room dressed like this._

"Can you hand me a shirt and pants from the closet?" you asked.

"The black band shirt, right? That says 'enjoy the show' on it."

"Yeah."

Damien retrieved the clothes and left you to get changed. You were still very sluggish from the night before, but you wanted answers. And you figured you might as well get those at dinner. When you were finished changing, Damien walked with you back toward the dining hall.

"My brothers and I did our best to clean up the mess we left," he said. "We weren't too sure what to do about the broken door and windows though."

"I'll call for a repairman tomorrow," you assured. You didn't like the idea of having someone come out and do repairs, but it was better than nothing. "Thank you for that, though. I appreciate it."

"It was the least we could do after you saved us last night. Also, sorry for taking some of the spare clothes. We needed something to wear that wasn't filled with holes."

"That's alright. I've been meaning to take them to the thrift shop. It's good that they're getting worn by anyone really." You smiled. "You can keep whatever old clothes you like."

"Thank you. You're too kind." He glanced at you, his blue eyes focusing on the pendant you were wearing. "What's that?"

You looked down, smiling fondly. "My great-grandmother gave it to me. I got it along with the house." You held the pendant up to give him a better look. You were so used to wearing it now that you'd forgotten it was even there. "When I inherited the house, this was-huh?"

You lifted it close to your face, scrunching your nose as you took a closer look at the pendant. A clear stone, smooth as silk, was embedded in the once empty hole. A single white swirl wrapped around itself.

"That stone wasn't there before?" Damien asked.

"No, it wasn't. It was empty."

Damien nodded, but said nothing more. You decided not to press about it either.

_One magical happenstance at a time, please._

As you both approached the dining hall, you could smell the strong aroma of roasted vegetables, garlic, herbs, and steak. Laying eyes on the table, you saw all of those things, along with bread rolls and butter, cranberry sauce, and a side of salad. Roasted carrots, green beans, asparagus. You could feel your mouth watering at the sight.

**_"Ah, the princess awakens."_ **

You looked up to see two boys standing at the kitchen door. One of them, a tall, copper haired lad with deep violet eyes, was holding a bottle of sparkling cider, and the other, a shorter boy with baby blue eyes and fluffy black hair, was carrying a bowl of fresh strawberries and cream. You smiled politely.

"How're you feeling?" asked the shorter one.

"I'm alright," you shrugged. "Just hungry."

The copper haired lad nodded, giving an enchanting smile. "Dinner should be ready soon, my princess. We just need to chill the cider and finish the parfait. Shouldn't take long." He let out a chuckle, and you couldn't help the blush on your cheeks at the sound. "Where are my manners. My name is Erik, my lady."

"And I'm Matthew," the other greeted.

"It's a pleasure to properly meet you both," you said.

As Erik and Matthew went back into the kitchen, Damien let out a sigh of relief. "Sam went to get James…"

"Those are also your brothers?"

He nodded. "Oldest to youngest it's James, Erik, Sam, Matthew, and then myself. James took a lot of nasty hits for us last night. It's a miracle he was able to wake up so soon. He must be recovering better than I thought."

"That's a good thing though, right?"

Damien smiled. "It is."

You and Damien took your seats just as Erik and Matthew finished cooking. Before long a man with black hair and glasses came and joined you, leaning on a brunet with emerald eyes who seemed just barely able to hold him. James and Sam, you suspected.

The dinner went by rather quickly. The boys answered your questions to the best of their ability, and you were able to make out their personalities to some extent. James was the oldest and most mature, and you could tell by how he spoke that he cared very much for his brothers. Erik was a flirt and rather sly, but it felt a little forced, and you couldn't help but wonder what it was he was hiding. Sam was the brutish one. Always itching for a fight. But he seemed like a decent fellow. Matthew was a delight. Cheerful, playful, and very sweet. And he seemed more mature than he let on. Damien was the quiet type, it seemed. He tended to stay to the back of conversations unless one of us had a thought in our head that needed a response.

They were all very different.

And hiding something.

But you thought it best not to pry.

They told you that they were incubi, and that they were on the run. They didn't tell you why, only that they were in danger and had nowhere else to go. Malix and Eris, the leaders of the gang that had been chasing them, were Devils, creatures unable to feel any amount of love or compassion, and only felt joy when causing misery.  

It was a lot to take in. But you did your best.

"We tried to clean up our mess," Matthew assured. "And we wrote down everything we've eaten and used, and we'll pay you back."

Erik looked to you, gently taking your hand and placing a kiss on the back of your knuckles. "I know we don't have any right to ask this of you, princess. But if it is possible, would it be alright if we stayed here until we fully recovered?"

"We'll be gone for good once we take care of those little shits," Sam promised.

You looked between all five of them, noticing how pale James looked. It was clear he was trying to stay awake. If anything, he really shouldn't have been at the table. Was it one of the brothers who insisted he join them? Or was it James? You tossed the thought out of mind.

"I can't let you all walk out in your current states," you said. "You're welcome to stay."

Matthew beamed. "Thank you, miss!"

"Slow down boys, I have some ground rules to go over first."

They all went quiet, their gazes trained on you.

"Number 1) Lights out no later than one in the morning. I have school still and you're all in recovery, so sleep is kind of mandatory. Number 2) You're welcome to read and eat whatever is in the house, to the old clothes not in use, and to mostly explore as you please, but just don't touch anything that could easily be shattered or touch anything in my room without permission. Number 3) No more damage to the house unless it can't be avoided. Number 4) If you need to buy anything at all, you just have to ask me. I've got more than enough to live on, so if you need specific glasses or medicines we can see about getting them. And lastly, Number 5) Do not take my energy without permission. Are we clear?"

They all looked between each other before nodding in agreement. You smiled, feeling a little relieved. And, if you dared to admit, rather glad.

"I think those rules are more than reasonable," James said.

"We'll be on our best behavior, princess," Erik promised.

"Good." You slowly stood up. "Thank you for dinner. It was amazing." You gathered your dishes, carrying them off to the kitchen. "I'll take care of the washing-"

Erik quickly leapt to his feat, swiping your dishes in an elegant flair, tilting your chin up slightly. "My lady, you're absolutely free this evening. Allow us to take care of the clean up."

"But-"

"You just relax, my dear. We'll take care of things."

You looked between them all, and once you were sure they weren't going to let you in on tonight's chores, you shook your head in defeat. "Alright. But I'm making lunch tomorrow then."

"Sounds fair, I guess," Sam grumbled, a sour look plastered on his face.

"If you need anything, just give us a holler," Matthew assured.

"Right. I will." You turned to leave. "Wait a second…Where are you all sleeping?"

Damien smiled. "There's some rooms on the other side of the house. One for each of us. We'll use those."

"Okay. Just wanted to make sure."

Without another word, you bid them all goodnight and went to back to your room. You fell back onto your bed, letting out a light huff as you curled into a ball. Full of dinner and still exhausted, you quickly fell asleep, with only one thought left on your mind before fading into the oblivion.

_I wonder if I'll see that beach again tonight…_


	3. Cooking by the Book

**_"I promise that I will never hurt you."_ **

**_"I will take care of you for as long as I live."_ **

**_"Will you be mine forever?"_ **

**_"I will make sure you have a happy life."_ **

**_"I will spend my entire life loving you."_ **

 

* * *

 

 

You woke up just before the sunrise, letting out a sigh of relief as you sat up and gazed outside. That was the best rest you'd had all week, even if the dream was rather strange. You didn't recognize the voices. They were far too distorted for you to discern. But they seemed welcoming. Almost as if you needed to hear them more and more every day.

Pushing the thought aside, you grabbed a towel from the drawer and headed to get cleaned up. You wanted to try and look somewhat tidy before even calling the repairmen.

As you prepared for the day, you couldn't help but wonder what would happen now that you had people staying with you. People coming and going from your home. Supernatural beings probably stalking your property. Barely two days, and already you could feel your enigma persona beginning to drain away.

Slipping into a pair of navy trousers and a teal sweater, you went over in your mind the day plan. Call the repairmen, have them fix the windows and front door. Check the kitchen and see if you need to stock up on anything. With five extra mouths to feed, you doubted your two weeks' worth of groceries was going to be enough.

_I also needed to inspect the yards for any damage from the storm. And I need to finish that biology report. And sweep the halls and schedule the chimney cleaning and-_

Your thoughts were shaken by the sound of your cell phone's text alarm going off. You picked it up and unlocked the screen, blinking the remaining sleep from your eyes. In a little blue box was a message sprinkled with dancing emojis. You checked the name, scratching your head in confusion at the name 'Cappini'.

_"Hey (l/n)! The school's closed and the club needs someplace to practice for the Halloween Gala. Can we come practice at your place at two? You got a ballroom, right?"_

You closed your eyes and tried to remember who it was. You didn't have friends. And what did they mean by 'the club'? You weren't in any-

"Oh…Oh dammit. The freshman from my history class." You pinched the bridge of your nose. "What to do, what to do…" You let out a sigh.

_"I'm gonna have repairmen coming in to work on the front of the house. You'll all need to stay in the ballroom and not wander around without me until they leave. I can set up the snacks and stuff in there before hand. That okay?"_

_"Totally! Thanks (l/n). We owe you one big time. See you at two!"_

You took a deep breath and looked at the clock. It was almost seven. That gave you at least an hour until the repair shop opened, and another seven hours until the club showed up. That was plenty of time to prep the ballroom. And plenty of time to figure out how to explain the incubi in your house.

_Well, time to get to work._

You left your room and made your way down the hall. Around the corner in the back of a broom closet was a door that lead to a firemen's pole that you liked to use to get to the kitchen quickly. The house was filled with little surprises like this, many of which you had yet to discover. You never knew when and where you'd find a new one, but you made sure to document it the moment you did.

_I really should find the blueprints to the house. That was the one thing she never gave me, and now it's the one time I actually need them._

You made it to the fire pole and slid down into the kitchen closet. Walking through, you noticed it was a lot better organized than the last time you'd stepped through. Did the boys do this? It was the only explanation. No one else was in the house.

**_"Alright, so now I chill the cake for an hour-"_ **

You stopped just shy of the door handle. _Someone_ was in the kitchen. Someone was _cooking_ in the kitchen. You pressed your ear to the door, trying to get a better sense of who was on the other side. There was the sound of electro-pop music coming from the radio. The scent of baked fruits and pastry. And there was tapping of toes and cheerful laughter.

 _"This is gonna be so yummy!"_ sang a cheeful voice. _"Super duper yummy I know!"_

 _I can't stay in the closet forever,_ you snickered. You gave the door a gentle knock.

**_"Come in!"_ **

With a playful smirk, you stepped out.

And nearly knocked the cake out of Matthew's arms.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" you said rapidly. "Are you alright?"

Matthew nodded. "I'm okay. And so is the cheesecake!" He held it up, smiling brightly. "I woke up pretty early and couldn't fall back asleep, so I started baking. I hope that's okay."

You looked around the kitchen, eyes wide in awe. Pies, cakes, cupcakes, rolls, tarts. Puddings and parfaits and creams. Items you didn't even know the name of. They were all laid out along the counters before you, the scent causing you to drool a little.

"This is amazing," you whispered. "How on earth did you-"

"I've been up since four. Had a lot of time." He set the cheesecake in the fridge, scratching the back of his head after closing the door. "I made a list of everything I used…and I used almost everything. I'm sorry."

You blinked. "Wait, what?"

He laughed nervously, tugging at the collar of his shirt. You recognized it from the pile of old band clothes in one of the spare rooms. A simple white tee with dark blue skull patterns, paired with jeans and an oversized orange hoodie. And no shoes.

"I kinda, maybe, sorta…" he sighed, blushing from embarrassment. "I might have gone and stress baked. Everyone else is still asleep and I didn't wanna wake anyone with too much noise. So I've been doing some downstairs work as quietly as possible. Oh, but I remembered your rules. I did my best to sleep after one and I even wrote what needs restocking in the house."

You looked at the list he wrote on the notepad hanging on the freezer. There was still milk for now. And most of the veggies remained untouched. Matthew watched you intently, his bright baby blue eyes wide like a puppy.

"That's a lot I have to restock on," you said. "But-" you glanced back at the desserts "-you might have saved my ass on the snack front today, Matthew."

"Really?"

"We're having more people coming over today than I expected. I needed to prepare something for snacks, and if you don't mind me using your treats here-"

He smiled, throwing a fist into the air excitedly. "That's awesome! No problem. You can use any of these for the guest. Oh, uh, except these ones." He gestured to a line of miniature desserts on a platter. Small cookies, a couple of brownies, a slice of silk pie, a cupcake, and a slice of strawberry cheesecake. "Those are for me and my brothers. I know James will probably chew me out for this, but I thought it would be a good idea to have some dessert for breakfast."

You nodded. "I think that's very kind of you. I'm sure your brothers will like them."

"Thanks." He looked back to the closet. "So how did you-"

You lead him over, stepping back inside and showing him the hidden compartment. "This leads to the broom closet up stairs. The entire house is filled with things like this."

He followed you in, practically glowing with excitement. "It's like a fun house!"

"Something like that."

"Are there more places like this?"

"Yeah. I'm trying to make a map of them all since I can't find the blueprints. I'll make you boys some copies and then you can explore without getting super lost."

"Heck yeah! Thanks (y/n)!"

"No problem."

As you both turned to exit the closet, you found yourself getting stuck between the shelves and Matthew. You hadn't realized just how small these closets were. You both stammered apologies as you tried to get yourselves unstuck. He let out a sharp hiss when you accidentally stepped on his feet. Soon you both managed to get out, nearly falling on top of each other in the process.

"Sorry," he said again.

"It's fine, Matthew. Really." You gave him a pat on the back. "Sorry for hurting your toes."

He shook his head. "It's okay. It was an accident. No harm, no foul."

"How about we get you some shoes so I don't step on your feet all the time?"

Matthew let out a displeasured groan. "I hate shoes."

"Me too, but we still gotta wear them while the repairmen work on the front of the house."

"…after the repairs, can I go barefoot?

"Sure. But only after the repairs are done."

"Deal."

You smiled, though you found your joy wavering when you noticed how pale Matthew looked. His eyes seemed more sunken than you realized. The exhaustion seemed to be getting to him. You reached out, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Are you feeling okay?"

He stared at you, perplexed. "Sure. Why?"

"You're kinda-"

**_"Matthew? Have you been baking again? I can smell it from the stairs."_ **

You let Matthew go, watching as he hurried off to the dining room. It sounded like the others were starting to come out of the woodwork. Deciding it was best to leave the brothers alone for a moment, you started preparing some coffee and toast. There were some leftovers from the night before, along with a few eggs and some sausages. You carefully maneuvered around the desserts, cooking breakfast with whatever you could find.

**_"Princess? What are you doing?"_ **

You looked over to the doorway to Erik, who had found a dark red button up with black pants and a matching vest. You gave him a warm nod and went over to one of the cupboards, pulling out a rolling food cart.

"Good morning, Erik," you said. "Scrambled eggs, toast, and leftovers for breakfast. Along with some desserts that Matthew made." You eyed him carefully. "He seemed awfully protective of that cheesecake. That for you?"

Erik stretched his arms over his head, letting out a pleasurable moan of content. "I do love a fine slice, if I do say so myself." He proceeded to help you place breakfast on the cart, flashing you a delighted grin. "So tell me, lovely lady, why is it you live alone in this fine house?"

You froze, feeling your heart sink. It'd been a long time since anyone asked you that. You didn't like it the last time. And you certainly didn't like it now.

Erik quickly picked up on it though, bending the knee and holding out a hand to you. "My apologies. I didn't mean-"

"It's alright," you assured. "Just circumstances, that's all. Nothing more." You took his hand, intending to pull him to his feet. He leaned in close, kissing your fingers tenderly. You felt your face grow hot.

"Do forgive me, my lady," he said. "I won't pry again."

"I said it's okay. Really." You pulled him up, trying to hide the flush on your cheeks. "You're quite the charmer, you know."

Erik smiled. "Yes, I am known for that." He leaned in close, purring in your ear. "That, and so much more."

**_"Better not be eating my breakfast, pretty boy!"_ **

Erik let out a sigh, pulling away from you. "There's no need to yell, Sam!"

**_"You're yelling too, asshole!"_ **

"For the love of-It's too early in the morning, Sam! It's not like we're back at the castle!"

As Erik pulled away and took the food cart to the dining room, you couldn't help but let out a soft giggle. You turned down the radio and went to join them. Damien sat by the window, staring out at the overcast with a blank stare. Sam was leaning back in his chair, trying to swipe some of the breakfast straight from the cart as Erik attempted to dish it out, a piece of egg nearly falling onto his camo tank top. Matthew focused on pouring coffee.

James wasn't present.

"He's resting," Damien said, not looking away from the window.

"Huh?"

"He's still asleep. He really shouldn't have left bed last night…"

All the others quieted down, turning to the youngest with varying looks of confusion and concern. The tension in the air slowly began to grow.

"The nerd go and push himself too hard last night?" Sam asked. "I told him he shoulda-"

"It wasn't exactly his fault, Sam. It's just the result of the attack, that's all." He looked to them, brow pinched tightly. "Whatever they hit him with, it was pretty strong. He isn't healing properly because of it and he's not able to get better on his own. And right now none of us have enough energy to spare to help him."

"What?" Matthew's hands started shaking. "What about all the energy you had yesterday-"

"Used most of it up already to heal the worst of it and stop the fire. I used what little I had left to spare to ease the pain I accidentally caused to (y/n). Otherwise she might not have managed to join us for dinner at all last night. Or even wake up this morning."

Sam growled, gripping his fork right enough to bend it. "God dammit."

Matthew clenched his fists, retreating into the kitchen in frustration. Erik paced slowly, running a hand through his hair as he lost himself in thought.

"Isn't there anything we can do?" you asked. "Can't I give some-"

Damien shook his head. "I already took too much from you the day before. We'll need to find another way."

"Why not a potion?" Erik asked. "We can get most of the ingredients in town."

"We can't leave, asswipe," Sam spat. "Not with that fucker Malix and his shithead brigade probably stalking us. (Y/n) will probably be fine but we're nowhere near up to fuckin' par."

Erik glared at him, his visible purple eye twitching. "Will you please ease on the swears, Sam? You've been getting worse since we left Seattle and frankly, it's disgusting."

Sam jumped to his feet. "You really wanna do this now, Erik? Huh? Cuz I'm more than ready."

 _"Oooooh,"_ Erik scoffed, crossing his arms. "You think you can take me as you are now? You can barely stand."

"Bitch." Sam started stalking toward him. "I can take you with one hand tied to my-"

You got between them, hands out to keep them from jumping at each other. "I can have the groceries delivered! Okay? Don't start fighting now! It's not going to help your brother!" You looked between them, shooting them warning glares. "I get that you're all tired and scared and hurting but this is no time to be at each other's throats! Now both of you shut up and sit down!"

The brothers stared at you in shock. After a moment of silence, they sat down and kept their eyes trained on their laps. Resisting the urge to pull your own hair from the stress, you looked over to Damien, who shot you an apologetic smile. You stood up straight and readjusted yourself.

"Sorry," you mumbled.

"No, don't apologize," Damien said. "You're right. This is a pretty bad situation, and with all the guests coming today-"

"Guests?" Erik looked at you, a curious brow raised. "Besides the repairs?"

"The Cultural Etiquette Club. They're coming over to practice for the Halloween Gala."

"A Gala? How delightful."

You bit your lip, trying to remain calm. "It's not as delightful as it sounds." You glanced back to the kitchen, wondering if you should check on Matthew.

Damien came over wrapping a soothing arm around your shoulders. "He's fine, (y/n). He's working on the grocery list to distract himself."

That was surprising. "You can read minds of people outside of the room?"

"Yes, I can. I have decent range." He looked to his brothers. "Let's try and get along today, alright? We're already imposing enough as it is. Its best that we don't put any more stress on our host."

Sam let out a sigh. "Right…whatever." He looked at you, his head still low in shame. "Sorry for…being an ass. This whole situation is fucked and I just…guh…it's no excuse. I'm sorry."

"As am I, my lady," Erik said softly. "Our behavior was unwarranted."

You felt a twinge of guilt in your heart at the sight of them. "It's alright, boys. I'd probably be just as on edge as you if I was in the same position. Just…try to keep it to the down low while the guests are here. Maybe if you need to, you can take your frustrations out on the punching bags in the house gym-"

"There's a house gym?" Sam seemed to light up at that. "Where is it?"

"It's on the third floor." You smiled and headed out of the room. It was almost time to call the repair shop anyway, and you could do that as you went. "Wait here. I'll get the map I've been making. I was planning on making you all copies anyway."

You left the boys and hurried to the library, going over to a desk and pulling out the large blueprints you kept there. It wasn't the original, but it was enough to use currently. You called the repair shop on your way back, letting out a sigh of relief when they told you they had an opening at ten today. When you returned to the dining room, they'd already cleared off the table. Even Matthew had returned from his chore. You laid it out flat and pointed to a room on the third floor.

"Right here, near the back," you said. "Just a hop, skip, and a jump from the fire pole that can take you to the observatory's basement."

"This is so cool," Matthew whispered. "There's a game parlor?"

"And a nice indoor bathhouse just off to the side," Erik noted.

"This is less of a house and more like a goddamn maze," Sam grumbled. "But…it does look like there's plenty to see and do here."

You pointed to a large room on the second floor. "I have to prep the ballroom for the club. Today is the dance practice for the Gala at the end of the month, and since the school is closed, I'll have to host the practice today. It shouldn't take me long to get it cleaned up and the tables set, but I'll need your help." You looked at the boys. "Sam, I'm gonna need a hand with the tables. They're old and very heavy."

"Shouldn't be a problem."

"Erik, would you mind setting up the music player and giving the floor a sweep with me?"

"It would be my pleasure."

"Matthew, you're on snacks, so you're setting the tables once it's closer to arrival."

"You got it!"

"Good. And in the meantime, you and Damien can straighten up downstairs and keep an eye out for the repairmen as we're cleaning."

Damien nodded. "And the groceries? You have to go into town to sign up for the delivery service, don't you?"

You let out a groan. "Crap. I forgot about that. Damn Bayard ways." You folded up the blueprints. "And I still need to go get these copied in town. I don't have a copier here that's big enough."

"We can take care of things here," Matthew assured. "Just leave one of us in charge. We'll take care of everything."

Leave one of them in charge? That seemed relatively simple enough. But you didn't feel good about that. With James as he was, you really didn't want to leave the boys alone in case those Devils came back. Your hand instinctively went to your pendant, gripping it tightly as you thought it through.

_But who do I leave in charge?_

Then you got an idea.

"You want us to rock, paper, scissors for it," Damien chuckled. "It might be best I sit this one out. I'll just be in charge of checking up on James."

"Alright!" Matthew grew a mischievous grin. "I'm a master at this one."

"Good luck, runt!" Sam yelled. "I'm gonna kick your ass!"

"Again with the yelling and swearing," Erik sighed.

The three of them played a couple of rounds while you gathered your things. If you hurried, you could be back just after the repairmen showed up. As long as you were back before the club showed up. Once a winner was decided (Matthew, much to Sam's chagrin), you lead them to the ballroom so that they knew where exactly it was. The boys promised to have everything done by the time you got back.

"You sure you can handle it?" you asked.

"Not a problem!" Matthew assured. "Just leave it to me."

"To us," Sam growled.

Erik nodded. "Worry not, my darling. We'll take care of everything."

"Okay. I'm counting on you then."

You headed downstairs and hurried to your car. The boys followed you and stood in the entryway, waving as you pulled out of the front and made your way down the road. You glanced back occasionally to watch them slowly fade out of view. The further from view they were, the more relaxed you became.

Somehow, you knew they'd be just fine until you got back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	4. Pale White Horse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally an 8k chapter but was cut down to 6k. Sorry for the wait!

**_"JUST GRAB HIM AND JUMP!"_ **

**_"FINE! Grab and jump, alright?!"_ **

_James watched as Sam lifted Matthew over the wall, scrunching his nose at the smell of blood and mucus that had started seeping from the hole in his younger brother's shin. Eric and Damien clamored up, both reaching for him and insisting he hurry up._

_But he wasn't paying attention. He was holding his gun up, taking aim and trying hard to shoot down their assailants. Anything to give his brothers more time to escape. His heart was pounding in his ears. His stomach growled. It'd been so long since he'd had a fill._

_James was running on empty._

_"I think I can see a house down the path," Damien called. "Let's hurry and get inside!"_

_James nodded and tossed aside his pistol, watching it dissipate as he grabbed his brothers' hands and climbed over the wall. Matthew was limping badly, and Sam could barely hold him up. James went over and took hold of his younger brother._

_"Go, Sam. I got him."_

_"But-"_

**_"GO!"_ **

_Sam let out a soft "tch" and ran ahead, grabbing Damien by the sleeve to make him speed up. Erik lingered between both sets of brothers, using whatever tendrils he could summon to block as much of the oncoming fire as possible. The mud and cobbled stones made it hard for them to run straight, and the lightning wasn't helping matters either._

_"Just hold on Matthew," James soothed. "We're going to get you to safety."_

_Matthew gripped onto him as tight as he could, struggling to keep his eyes open. "James…I'm really tired…"_

_"You can rest inside. I promise, just keep running for now. Just a bit further."_

**_"You're not going anywhere!"_ **

_James glanced back, eyes widening in fear as he saw a devil grinning manically, a small stone glowing in the palm of their hand._

_They were taking aim at Matthew._

**_"SAM! ERIK!"_ **

_James lifted Matthew and threw him as hard as he could. He turned back and taking aim at the devil chasing them with a newly summoned pistol. He fired as lightning struck again, the force of the blast sending him flying back a bit. The shot rang out, embedding itself in the shoulder of the devil. The devil screamed in pain, redirecting their attack at James, hitting him square in the chest and sending him further down the path._

**_"JAMES!"_ **

_James gasped in pain, his body writhing as the sensation of a thousand burning knives tugged away at his insides. He could feel the warm sensation of blood on his arms, his chest, his legs. A purple tendril flew over him, and he had just enough strength to lift his head to see it decapitate the devil._

_"Come on," Erik said, reaching down and slinging James onto his back as best he could._

_"But Matt-"_

_"Sam and Damien's carrying him. Just shut up and come on!"_

_James struggled to keep his eyes open. He couldn't feel his legs. The rainwater. The mud. The blood. Everything felt cold. The world seemed to be fading away._

_The last thing he could see was a door being kicked open, and a pair of knives flying past and embedding themselves into Sam's shoulder._

 

* * *

 

 

James awoke to the light din of construction work down the hall. His body ached, trembling with hunger pangs as he slowly rose out from under the covers and over to the mirror on the vanity this room had been provided. He stared at himself, wincing at how pale he'd become. He could see a slight hollowness in his cheeks, and his amber eyes were sunken from weakness. He reached up and grabbed the hem of the tank top he'd gone to sleep in, pulling it down just enough to see the sickly golden mark just over his heart fade from sight.

"Dammit," he mumbled. He glanced at the clock, letting out a sigh as he saw the hands ticking away. "10:46…looks like I missed breakfast."

With shaky hands, James did his best to get dressed in the clothes that'd been left on the chair for him by Erik. A simple black sweater and slacks. Easy to put on and not overly constricting. And it didn't look half bad either.

_Okay, James. You're dressed, so now you need to eat. Even if it's just a little. Maybe ask the lady of the house if you could have a bit of energy. Just enough to keep going. One step at a time._

Slowly James left his room and made his way down the hall. Every step felt as though he was struggling to drag lead bars by his ankles. Everything seemed to be spinning. James swallowed thickly, trying to ignore the dryness in his throat. He needed energy, and he needed it fast.

_When did the hall get so long?_

He continued wandering, trying to find his way downstairs as the sounds of repairs fluxed with every step. Was it close? Was it far? Why was this house such a maze?

"Erik?" he called. "Sam? Matthew, are you there? Damien?"

No one answered. With no one there to help guide him, James wandered some more, the dizziness threatening to throw him to the ground just as he found the stairs to the front of the house. He felt relieved and slowly started walking down.

He only managed two steps before beginning to fall.

**_"Woah there!"_ **

James felt someone catch him just as his head was about to hit the stairs. He was straightened up, slowly half-carried down. Looking up, he came face to face with one of the workers managing the repairs. There were stacks of wood, electrical wires, insulation, and more surrounding the foyer. The repairs quieted for a moment as everyone turned to look at him.

"Are you okay?" they asked, letting out a sigh of relief when James nodded. "That's good. You scared me there for a minute. Rather nasty fall."

"My apologies," James rasped. "I'm not feeling very well."

A look of realization dawned on the worker's face. "Ah, you must be Jimmy. Your brother told us you were in the house."

James raised an eyebrow. "Which one?"

"Huh?"

"I have four brothers. Which brother do you mean?"

"Oh, right. It was the little one. Big blue eyes and black hair. I think he said his name was Matt."

"Matthew." He smiled, feeling a wave of relief. "Is he here?"

"He's upstairs in the back," the worker explained. "Said something about preparing for guests and warned us that you might wake up at some point." Their brow furrowed. "Are you sure you're okay?"

James nodded, giving them a reassuring smile. "I'm fine. Woke up and was getting hungry, that's all." He took a step away, nearly stumbling. "Just need to get something to eat."

"Jamison, take him to the kitchen," one of the others said. "I have to give the guy an update on the repairs anyway. I'll let him know his brother woke up."

The worker looked at James. "That okay?"

As much as he didn't want to, James knew he wouldn't be able to make it any further without help. And with someone being kind enough to offer to help him, he couldn't just turn them down.

"If it's not too much trouble," he said, "I'd really appreciate it."

As the worker ( _Jamison_ , James reminded himself. It was important to try to be polite.) helped him to the kitchen, the other hurried up the stairs to let his brother know he was awake. As they went, a deep craving bore deeply into his stomach. He wanted, needed, to take some energy. He glanced at the floor, feeling a pang of guilt and frustration. The lady of the house said no taking her energy without permission. But she said nothing of guests. And while not nearly as strong as her, Jamison had more than enough to spare.

As James was seated into one of the nearby chairs, Jamison went to the fridge and pulled out a small lunchbox. They smiled, setting it down in front of him before getting him some water.

"Your brother said there was a lunch in the fridge for you," they explained. "I think this was the first time he'd been put in charge of something. Looks really young, but very mature. He's what, sixteen?"

"Twenty-one," James corrected. "Damien's the youngest at twenty." A lie. They were far, far older. But those ages were the closest to what they resembled.

"Seriously? Shit." They set the glass on the table. "So what's a bunch of twenty-somethings like yourselves doing this far from Seattle? Hardly anyone comes to Bayard unless they're passing through."

James shrugged. "We're just here to visit (y/n) for a little while. We were on our way up north before I fell ill."

Jamison seemed stunned. "The owner of this house? Seriously?"

"You know her?"

"No, I don't. No one in town does really. _Really_ keeps to herself. You old friends or something?"

"Something like that." James was surprised. Surely (y/n) had at least one friend in town. Bayard wasn't that large. One of those 'everyone knows everyone' kind of places, even if they're only here attending the school.

 Then again, a young lady alone in a house in the woods? Maybe there was something you were trying to hide. He wasn't going to try and snoop. Not yet at least.

"So you're headed north?" the worker asked.

James nodded. "We wanted to get to Canada before winter but it doesn't look like it'll be happening anytime soon."

"Sorry to hear that." Jamison smiled fondly. "Well, I hope you feel better soon, Jimmy."

"It's James."

"Sure Jim."

James chuckled, rolling his eyes. Not the first time he'd been given that nickname. While he didn't care much for it, it was far better than some of the other ones he'd been given in the past. As he ate, he kept glancing back to the worker, who was getting themself something to drink as well. He closed his eyes, letting the debate fester in his mind for a little longer. The food and water was heavenly, and the discomfort of the dry mouth and stomach growls faded with every bite and sip.

But he still felt a hunger he couldn't satisfy with food alone.

_I'm sorry (y/n)…but you didn't exactly say no to this._

When he finished eating, James looked at Jamison. "Would you mind helping me back to my room?"

"Sure," Jamison agreed. "Not a problem."

"Thank you. I appreciate it."

 

* * *

 

 

Erik had just finished setting up the speakers when Sam and Damien came in, carrying the last of the tables from the other room. Though it wasn't asked of him, he took time to sweep the floors and open the curtains, revealing an outdoor balcony sealed off by elegant glass doors. He kept them open, airing out the room and letting the light in. The floors, a beautiful golden tiles, gleamed in the sun. The walls were a lovely white, detailed in fine mahogany and gold woodwork. There were balconies inside as well, accessed from the parlor room just off to the side.

He had to admit, it was very enchanting.

As Sam and Damien set down the table, he hurried over, examining the arrangement. Erik ran a finger over the table, smiling when it came clean.

"Looks like everything should be fine," he hummed, looking at his brothers. "They're perfectly arranged. Just need some table cloths."

"Matthew went to find them," Sam grumbled, rolling his shoulders. "Hard to find things with the work crew here."

"We'll have to make do then." He looked to Damien, a look of concern on his face when he saw his brother's expression. "Damien? Is something wrong?"

Damien shook his head. "I don't think so…Depends on how (y/n) reacts."

Sam shot him a glare. "What do you mean?"

"James is awake. And he's feeding off one of the workers. Another one of them is looking for us to give an update on repairs."

Erik's eyes went wide. "Why didn't you tell us James woke up sooner?"

"I didn't sense him…"

The boys looked at their brother in shock. That wasn't possible. Was it? Damien could sense anyone within his mind reading range. Surely James was within reading distance.

"How's that possible?!" Sam asked, gripping Damien's shirt. "You could sense him yesterday! And you could sense him at breakfast!"

"I don't know!" Damien shouted, shoving Sam off him. "If I did, I'd tell you, but at some point during our cleaning he blinked off for a bit. I thought it was just because we're all exhausted and there were a lot of people in the house."

Erik held slowly began to pace, pinching his chin as he took all this in. "It could be because he was the most injured. And because we're low on energy. We don't know the full extent exhaustion can have on us. We just need to keep our heads and focus, take it one step at a time and figure it out." He looked at Damien, a nagging feeling in his mind. "Did you have the same issue looking into (y/n)'s mind? Just wanted to check."

"No," Damien said. "Though…it was a little strange looking in there."

"How so?"

"I couldn't see past the last three years or so. It felt foggy. Like a heavy mist was covering everything."

**_"What did?"_ **

The boys all looked up as Matthew rejoined them, carrying a stack of table cloths. Without even asking, Damien and Erik hurried over to take a few and started covering the tables as they brought him up to speed. Erik tried to keep his mind on the work, but the thoughts kept drifting back to what Damien said. He wondered if it had anything to do with how Malix didn't finish them off. He could have. Erik knew full well he could have. But he didn't.

"You're thinking the mist has something to do with our survival," Damien said.

Erik let out a gentle hum. "It's a possibility. I think exploring the house the next chance we get might be a good idea."

"Maybe there's answers in the library," Matthew offered. "This house is filled with all kinds of strange passages and stuff. I wouldn't be surprised if it was covered in magic or something."

"If it was, we'd have felt it," Sam said. "Wouldn't we?"

"Not if we're _that_ starved for energy." Matthew crossed his arms, leaning on one of the tables lightly. "We need to feed fast to make sure. We can't figure out a plan without exploring, and we need to be able to handle whatever the house might throw at us if it is enchanted."

"What do you suggest?" Erik asked. "Feed on the workers once James is done?"

Damien nodded. "That's exactly what Matthew is thinking."

"Matthew!"

"What else are we supposed to do?" Matthew spat. "We can't just sit here at our current levels. Not when James is still down for the count. We need to think about our health as well as our hostess's feelings."

Sam scratched the back of his head, lost in thought. "Runt's got a point. We're gonna have to do something before we starve."

"We don't need to take much. Just enough to where we can properly defend ourselves and train properly." Matthew looked to Erik, a hopeful glint in his eyes. "And it's not like we all have to do it today. The workers will be back tomorrow, so whoever doesn't feed now can feed then. And by tomorrow, (y/n) might be restored enough to where we can ask her for her energy. She said we could after all."

Erik didn't like this idea, but given the circumstances, he knew it was the best option they could hope for at the moment. "Alright. So who goes first?"

"I can wait," Damien said. "Since I already fed on (y/n). I think we should let those that got hurt the most go first."

"So Matthew, then Sam."

"Woah, woah, woah," Matthew stammered. "Are you sure you're okay with that?"

"I can wait," Sam shrugged. "You should get topped off, Matthew."

"Oh?" Erik raised an eyebrow. "That's rather…out of character for you, Sam."

"Just trying to be nice."

Damien snickered. "He wants to try (y/n)'s energy, so he's willing to wait."

"Hey!"

"Sam!" Matthew shook his head. "Seriously? I expected it from Erik but-"

"You saw how Damien turned after a single kiss!" Sam bellowed. "I want to know just how strong the energy from her is."

"It was pretty strong," Damien admitted.  "Though it drains quickly, so-"

"So don't go overboard, got it."

Erik rolled his eyes. "Very well. We should probably stop dawdling and focus on finish our work in the meantime."

"I'll get started bringing the food up," Matthew said. "Then I'll see about tracking down someone to get energy from."

"Need some help?"

"Sure. That'd be great."

"I'll go check on James," Damien said. "Sounds like he's almost done."

"I'll come with you," Sam said.

"Alright."

They split off and Erik went down to the kitchen with Matthew. The mysteries slowly starting to pile on his mind. He had to admit, it was rather enticing. A mysterious woman in the woods in a large house and a secretive past? And with powerful energy? That sounded far too delectable.

If he had to wait a couple of days to have a taste, he was willing to wait.

 

* * *

 

 

_Gentle snowfall. All calm and quiet as you walked through the woods. You often found yourself exploring in the early morning. You pick a direction and walk. You kept going until you found the wall. You'd walk along it until you made it to the front gate and walk all the way back to the house on the main path, trying hard not to slip on the ice as you went._

_You've been here for only two months. And already it felt like two decades. Time seemed to move slower in Bayard. Almost sickeningly so. You tried hard not to let it bother you, but the pace often reminded you how different it was from back home._

_No. No, this was home now. You kept having to remind yourself of that. This was home now._

_You stopped in your tracks, closing your eyes as you bit back the tears that threatened to freeze on your cheeks. You didn't want to cry here. Not out in the cold. Not alone. Not now. Not here._

_The sound of distant calling caught your attention. You spun around, looking for the source. Was someone there on the property with you? It couldn't be. No one came out here other than you. There was no way there could be someone else._

_And yet, you saw them._

_Far in the distance, standing in one of the few clearings within the woods, you could make out the form of a horse. You cautiously stepped closer, wondering if you should call out to it. As you got closer, you could make out the gentle curves of the muscles under pale white coat. Its legs were speckled with red and gold spots above pitch black hooves. Its' mane shone silver, dancing gently in the breeze._

_And around its neck was a pendant resembling an oval, with a heart shaped crystal in the center that sparkled in a myriad of colors akin to the northern lights._

_"Are you mine?" you asked softly. "Or are you someone else's?" Slowly, you reached out. "Why do you look so familiar?"_

_The horse whinnied softly quickly turning and running off toward the house. You quickly ran after it, calling for it to wait for you. You hurried, ignoring the burning in your lungs and legs as you tried to catch it._

_But it was gone. When you finally stopped, you'd arrived back at the house. You leaned over, trying hard to stay standing as you caught your breath. The sun had begun to set over the horizon._

_"Hello?!" you called. "Where did you go?!"_

_When you received no reply, you sighed and went inside. You hurried to your room, changed out of your cold winter clothing, and into the warmest set of pajamas you owned. Deciding not to argue with the pain overtaking you, you went and crawled into bed._

_Maybe this is all a dream, you thought. That couldn't have been real._

 

* * *

 

 

You immediately regretted getting the maps of the house printed first. It took far longer than you wanted it to, and now you had to spend your time at the grocery store during busy hour. The day after you'd already done some shopping. It was needless to say that everyone in there was shocked. There were whispers and gasps as you grabbed a cart and began putting in the groceries you needed. You'd sign up for the delivery after you checked out.

You mad your way around, trying to keep from panicking as people stopped what they were doing to watch you. In a small town like Bayard, everyone knew everyone, and everyone was known as something. And as such, they knew you as the strange girl that lived alone. A part of you wished it was still like that. But your house guests were going to make that impossible.

Stop staring at me please. Stop it. I'm not doing anything wrong. Please stop.

**_"(Y/n)?"_ **

You stopped by the deli, hearing someone call your name. You glanced around, trying to find the source of the sound. You recognized the voice, vaguely. When your eyes met with a young lady strawberry-blonde hair and brilliant blue eyes, you felt even more on edge. It was the other freshman from your class. She quickly came over to you, smiling excitedly.

_Name, name, what's her name again? Oh right!_

"Hey there, (y/n)!"

"Hey Naomi," you greeted, trying hard not to be awkward. "How're you doing?"

"I'm doing okay," she said. "Suzu and I are just getting some things for the gala practice. She said you had things handled but I thought we should at least bring some drinks and disposable tableware. I hope that's okay."

"That's very kind of you. But I really have everything covered." You gestured to the cart, already half full and growing. "I was needing to get groceries anyway."

Her eyes went wide. "Oh my gosh. That's a lot of groceries." She looked back to you, tilting her head in confusion. "But, don't you do your shopping on Thursdays?"

 _Crap, she knows my patterns._ "Yeah, but I have, uh…" _Wait, how do I explain. Shit._ "I have some new staff members helping me with the house! They used up what I had prepping for practice so I came to get restocked. Also gonna sign up for the delivery service."

Naomi let out a gasp, her hands flying to her face as took in the news. "I'm so sorry! I didn't know practice would-"

"It's okay!" you interjected. "Seriously. I was going to need to get more food today anyway. There's six of us in the house now, so gotta get the food."

"Still, we shouldn't have put you on the spot like that."

"It's no trouble. We're all in the same club, so it's only fair, right?"

"Do you need any help? I can help you carry everything, or I can chip in on the cost-"

"No, I got it. I'm half-way done anyway." You smiled, trying to sooth her. "It's no big deal. Really. I can more than afford this. It's no big deal."

You wanted the conversation to end faster. The whispers were growing. Everyone was staring at you. You hoped it was just because of Naomi. Surely talking with a classmate outside of class after a chance meeting was normal? There was nothing wrong with that, right?

Hell, there were a lot of things wrong with this scenario. You could feel the warning bells echoing in your mind that were screaming for you to run. You shouldn't be here. You should be back at the house. You-

You need to calm down. You got this. It's just errands.

"Okay," Naomi said. "Still, if there's anything I can help with, let me know, okay? I don't like putting you on the spot like this."

You felt a bit guilty at her forlorn face. You shrugged, pointing to the list. "It’s a pretty long list. Mind keeping me company as I shop? If you're not busy, that is."

Naomi smiled, nodding profusely. "Sure! I was going to pick up the drinks and stuff here, but if you're sure you got it covered, I don't mind helping you shop."

"Great. I need to pick up some meats here, then we can move on to the dairy."

The whispers slowly died down as you and Naomi walked through the aisles. You let her do most of the talking, letting her ramble on about life back in Chicago. The hope to go to Paris once she finished her general studies here. Her friendship with Suzu. While it wasn't something you particularly liked talking about, hearing someone talk about their personal life was rather refreshing.

"So what about you?" she asked. "We're in the same club, but you hardly interact with people outside of the mandatory meet ups. Have you always been a Bayard resident?"

And the refreshing feeling was gone.

_Keep it short and simple, (y/n)._

"No, I moved here after my great-grandmother died. I don't have much in terms of family. It's just me and the house."

"Oh. I'm so-"

"Don't," you chuckled. "Seriously, you don't have to apologize or offer condolences or anything. It was a long time ago. No big."

"Oh. Right…"

"It's okay. Really, Naomi." Without even thinking, you reached out, gently patting her on the head. "Come on, smile. It's Saturday. We're super close to Halloween. It should be a time of celebration."

Naomi smiled and nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right!"

You nodded, continuing on with the shopping, wondering what was coming over you. You'd have never done something like that before today. Why were you acting different? You pushed it away. It was just stress. That's all.

Soon you finished gathering what you needed and proceeded to check out. Naomi offered to help you carry everything to the car, but you insisted that you had it handled. You parted ways and promised to talk a bit more at the practice. Before she left, she insisted on swapping numbers.

"See you later!"

"Bye Naomi!"

After a long wait, you paid for you groceries and went over to customer service to sign up for the delivery service. The manager have you the paperwork, going over the parts you had to fill out. Mostly it was what you wanted delivered weekly, if you wanted something sent daily, and what days you wanted it all delivered.

You hadn't thought this far ahead.

You decided to have the basics sent to the house on Sundays weekly. Fresh fruits and veggies, milk, bread, and whatever the cut of the week at the deli was. That would be enough to keep things going. And if you needed anything else, you could call it up. Not overwhelming, and you could make sure that the boys were aware of what was coming. When it asked for names of others to sign for the packages, you paused.

They didn't give me surnames. What do I put down for their surnames? Should I put down their surnames?

"Something wrong?" the manager asked.

"Mh? Oh." You laughed. "Nothing, nothing. Just trying to remember the staff members names. Just hired. They might sign for the packages if I'm busy."

"Well, you don't have to put down their full names. Just the first name is fine."

"Thanks."

You finished the paperwork and hurried back to the car, loading up the groceries and bolting out of their as fast as legally possible. Too many people kept staring and talking. You turned on the radio, relaxing as you switched it to the classical station and headed back down the country roads. Coming up to an intersection, you slowed to took a quick glance around, doing a double take at one of the nearby fields. You sighed, continuing on once you were sure there were no oncoming cars.

You could have sworn you saw a horse watching you.

 

* * *

 

 

_"Eris! Take the others and surround the wall!"_

_Malix jumped over, just in time to see the purple tendril rip apart one of his lackeys. The demons were running desperately away from them. They were bleeding heavily, pained and on the verge of death. Another few hits, and they'd be gone._

_"They're heading to the house!" screamed a lower devil._

_"Then stop them!"_

_The devil nodded and summoned a pair of knives, throwing them and smirking as they embedded into Sam's shoulder. Sam let out a pained scream and reached around, grabbing the blades and pulling them out of his back. He turned and threw them back, leaning against the door in pain. Malix stopped and ducked. The knives hit the lower devil in the forehead and the chest, sending him to the ground._

_"Little boys think they got some real balls, huh?" Malix snickered, running up to the house as he took aim. He pulled the trigger, letting out a soft gasp as he felt a sudden shiver through his bones._

_The result was almost instant. Just as the few devils with him reached the door, the bullet hit the door and the front of the house exploded. The devils shattered and burned away along with the splinters in the blast. Malix's eyes were wide in joyous surprise as he stepped forward. The closer he got to the door, the stronger the shivers became._

_He could feel his power growing._

_"What's the matter, boys?" Malix laughed, standing in the remains of door frame. "Not enough energy to fight back anymore?"_

_One of the boys, the young bastard of all things, slowly stood up to face him. Malix tried hard not to laugh as_

_"Leave…my brothers…alone…"_

_Malix gawked at him, bursting into laughter and rolling his eyes. "You? Out of all the little sacks of shit, you're the one left standing?" He smirked, pulling out another gun and taking aim. "No problem. I don't mind taking you out first. Come have a go."_

_A hard piece of wood came flying toward him, hitting Malix dead center in the face. He stumbled back, screaming in pain as the wood fell to the ground. He shook what few splinters he could from his eyes and turned to his assailant. To his surprise, it was just a human._

_"And just who the fuck do you think you are?!"_

_"This is my house!" the girl bellowed. "Now get the hell out of here, or I swear-"_

_"Swear what? You'll chuck a chair at me next? Oh, I'm so scared."_

_"The cops are on their way here, dumbass. You triggered the fucking security alarm. And I doubt you'll be able to wipe your image from the security cameras before they get here."_

_It was a lie. He could tell by how she carried herself. She had no such security on this house. If she did, surely something would have sounded the moment he destroyed the front of the house. Or some sirens would have been heard in the distance already. Even in this weather, the police would have come running by. They'd learned that the hard way before._

_He could take them all down right now._

_So why aren't I?! I can do it! I'm stronger now! I can do this! Why can't I shoot them?!_

_"I'm giving you one chance," the human said. "Leave. Now."_

_Malix watched the human closely, then looked to the boys. He was furious. They were right there. They were ready to be taken and ripped apart limb from limb. He was more than strong enough._

_And yet his body wouldn't attack._

_He sneered, his teeth grinding together in rage. "You're lucky I'm not wanting to cause a scene tonight. Last thing I want is an investigation. But if I see you punks again, you're dead." He lowered his gun, turning back to human. "And that goes double for you, you piece of shit."_

_He backed away and vanished from the doorway as the lightning flashed again. When he reappeared outside the wall, he could feel all eyes on him. He played cool._

_"They got to the house," he said. "Everyone retreat. Now."_

_Eris raised an eyebrow. "Is the house under holy protection or something?"_

_"No. But whatever it is, we will deal with it later. Those boys are on the brink of death. We'll come back and finish them once we're sure the police aren't on their way."_

_"Finally you're starting to learn how to properly plan things."_

_"Don't sass me, woman!" Malix grabbed her by the arm, looking to the others. "Back to the warehouse. Now!"_

_He watched as the rest of the team vanished. Eris rolled her eyes and went on ahead. Before he left, Malix looked back at the house once more, squinting as the lightning flashed._

_He could have sworn he saw a pale white horse standing there in the path, glaring at him._

_He shrugged it off. Now wasn't the time._

_In the next burst of light, he left the wall and returned to the others._

* * *

 

 

Everyone gathered around the table, gobbling up the food that had recently been stolen. The music was loud, but not overly so. The lights were dim, the talk was vibrant, and the atmosphere was chaotic as hell. Chicken legs went flying and potatoes were hitting faces. In the corner of the room sat the fallen body of a security guard.

And Malix sat on a makeshift throne, growling as he glared at his underlings. Eris sat on his lap, legs crossed seductively as she played with his hair. His arm wrapped around her, a hand tightly clutching her chest.

"What's got your dick in a twist?" she asked.

"That house," he snarled. "The one those fucking pretty boys too refuge in. I can't get it out of my mind."

"Why? Was it protected by some seal?"

He shook his head. "No…It wasn't protected by anything and yet…"

"And yet what?"

He didn't know. Malix closed his eyes, remembering the crackle of electricity at the tips of his fingers. The sudden surge of energy from simply crossing over onto the property. He hadn't felt such a sensation since last visiting the seventh circle. And ever since he stepped out of that stoned wall, he could feel the power surge slowly vanish with every use of his powers. He had so much strength that night. So much, he was certain that with a longer dose, he could have obliterated those pathetic little demons.

And he fucking ran when a mere human threw debris in his face and threatened him. She had no power over him. He should have been able to finish her off then and there.

So why?

"Eris," he growled into her ear, tightening his grip on her chest and slowly twisting. "I have a job for you. Be a dear and find out everything you can on the house in the woods. The current owner, the past occupants, the building details. I want anything and everything on that spot. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Malix," she hissed, trying not to wince at his hold.

"Good." He eased his grasp, giving her ear a tender nip. "You have until dawn tomorrow. In the meantime, I'll be making some plans. I want that information fast." He glanced at the body in the corner. "And dump the dead weight, will you? Last thing we need is for it to stink up the joint."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say."

Eris vanished, along with the body in the corner. Malix smirked, crossing his legs and letting out a gentle chuckle as the rest of the devils before him had settled down. He licked his lips, the craving of that surge calling to him. 

"Alright boys. I want you all to listen up and listen good. We're going to be planning a raid on that house. And we're going to take it for ourselves. No prisoners. No mistakes. Is that clear?"

The others cheered excitedly in response. Malix couldn't help but laugh. He could see it now. The bodies of those weaklings. The endless boost in energy.

The damage they could cause would be astronomical.

"Bayard will become the Devil's Playground!" he cackled. "Just you wait and see!"


End file.
